School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies

Profile

David joined the University after a career in the National Health Service where he was mainly teaching medical ethics and medical law.  On commencing work in the University he widened his teaching and research and is now a Principal Lecturer in Social and Political Philosophy.  David teaches a wide range of courses to a diversity of students from new under-graduates to PhD students. David has a particular interest in e- learning and he co-leads Foundation Degrees in Government and Local Government which are delivered online. to civil servants and local government officers.   The interest in e-learning is consolidated in David’s role as Co Director of the School’s Centre for Distributed Learning.

David’s specialist interests include healthcare ethics and research ethics.  He continues to work with the NHS in a variety of capacities.  He holds regular seminars for junior doctors working in acute medical settings.  David also chairs a NHS research ethics committee responsible for reviewing research taking place in the South of the country.  As an experienced chair he also provides training for new ethics committee members.  

David’s work on research ethics is also a substantial part of his university role.  He chairs the Faculty of Humanities Research Ethics Committee and he provides University wide advice and support in his capacity of University Research Ethics Adviser.  He is a regular contributor to the staff research seminar series.

David’s main undergraduate teaching comprises units on Political Thought for Politics and International Relations Students, and a variety of units on pubic management and administration, many of which include substantial ethics elements.   At postgraduate level David teaches research ethics as part of the university-wide research training programme for PhD students and a specialist unit in Ethical Practice in Public Administration and Public Sector Management to Masters in Public Administration students.  David has supervised a range of successful PhD studies including, Experiences of Undergraduate student Nurses – a Heideggerian  Analysis, Deliberate Self-Harm in the Royal Navy, Baptism Policy in the Church of England and Valuing South Asian People with Learning Disabilities: Perceptions and Lived Experiences of Service Providers and Professionals .  He continues to provide supervision in the broad field of health and social care, typically involving an ethical dimension.